Opening of the Boston Female Medical School (1848)

The Boston Female Medical School opened on November 1, 1848, as the first institution in the United States to offer medical education exclusively to women. Founded by Samuel Gregory, the school began instruction with twelve students from New England, New York, and Ohio. The institution aimed to train women in midwifery, nursing, and medicine, eventually becoming the New England Female Medical College.

Episodes

Background and detail

Founding and Goals. Samuel Gregory founded the school in 1848, drawing support from Lemuel Shattuck, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the public. The Female Medical Education Society aimed to establish a medical school in Boston with its own teaching hospital. The goal was to teach women midwifery and nursing, with the expectation that they would treat women and children, based on the belief that women were well adapted for midwifery.

Early Instruction. The first classes were held in the home of the Boylston Medical School President. The first term began on November 1, 1848, with twelve students enrolled. From its start in 1848 until the mid-1850s, two faculty members focused mainly on midwifery. The institution's goals included education in medical subjects, nursing practices, midwifery, and training female physicians.

People involved

Sources

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